DATE: July 20, 2016
TO: Franklin Municipal Planning Commission
FROM: Andrew Orr, Principal Planner
Emily Hunter, Long Range Planning Supervisor
Bob Martin, Interim Director of Planning and Sustainability
Subject
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Consideration of Ordinance 2015-80, As Amended, To Be Entitled, “An Ordinance To Amend The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Franklin, Tennessee, To Update The Development Standards And Sub-District Boundaries For The CAO-Columbia Avenue Overlay District By Amending Chapter 3, Subsection 3.4.7.”
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Background/Staff Comments
The FMPC voted to issue a favorable recommendation to BOMA on April 28, 2016. The BOMA made an amendment at the public hearing on June 14, 2016 to only allow internally illuminated signs attached to the building on the Columbia Avenue facing façade in CAO-1 and to prohibit illuminated signs in CAO-2. The ordinance and the associated amendment passed on third reading at the June 28, 2016 BOMA meeting. The FMPC must vote on the amended ordinance.
The purposes of this amendment to the Columbia Avenue Overlay (CAO) District are to eliminate repetitious verbiage stated in other sections of the Zoning Ordinance, update the CAO sub-district map, and revise specific standards related to architecture and site layout.
The CAO is broken down into five sub-districts:
• CAO-1
Location: Five Points to Fowlkes Street
Vision: A walkable, mixed-use, low-scale district with a mix of old and new buildings
• CAO-2
Location: Fowlkes Street to Fairground Street
Vision: To maintain the scenic, historic, and residential character
• CAO-3
Location: Fairground Street to Confederate Drive
Vision: A walkable commercial node that is complimentary to nearby residential neighborhoods
• CAO-4
Location: Confederate Drive to Mack Hatcher
Vision: To improve the overall look, feel, and function of the corridor
• CAO-5
Location: Mack Hatcher to the southern limits of the UGB
Vision: To maintain the rural residential and agrarian character
The standards are intended to insure the compatibility of new buildings with respect to the character of their immediate surroundings, to enhance economic viability, and to fulfill the vision of each sub-district. The P&SD staff worked collaboratively with the Battlefield Preservation Commission, CAO District property owners, and the City’s Development Review Team (DRT) to update the standards. A summary of the proposed revisions is noted below:
• Change the 0-foot front setback requirement in CAO-1 to 5-10 feet from the back of the sidewalk. This will still accomplish the goal of creating a walkable urban environment, but also provide property owners some flexibility with building placement and the opportunity to provide landscaping or a seating area.
• Require a 25-foot setback for new buildings along West Fowlkes Street. The Battlefield Preservation Commission made this recommendation in order to create a transition to the future Carter Hill Park across the street and to give West Fowlkes Street a gateway appearance. The sidewalk, planting strip, and any future on-street parking could be included in this setback.
• In CAO-1, require a 6-foot masonry wall to buffer parking lots and nonresidential uses from residential uses. This will help new development integrate into the existing mixed-use environment while protecting existing residential properties.
• Clarify the architectural standards in CAO-1.
• Revise the front setback in CAO-2 to better conform to existing development patterns.
• Extend the CAO-2 boundary to include the old car wash property.
• Revise the front setback in CAO-3 to conform to the desired vision.
• Eliminate drive-through uses north of Downs Boulevard in CAO-3. The properties located between Downs Boulevard and Fairground Street are mostly zoned Neighborhood Commercial, which restricts drive-through uses. This amendment would also restrict drive-through uses on General Commercial lots located north of Downs Boulevard to further facilitate walkable, neighborhood-scale redevelopment in the sub-district.
At the Public Hearing, a motion was made to prohibit internally illuminated signs in CAO 2 and to only allow internally illuminated signs on the front façade of buildings in CAO 1. The motion passed. The P&SD will add a note to the Sign Section of the Zoning Ordinance to remind users of this change.
Recommendation
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Approval of Ordinance 2015-80 is recommended.